Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to supports for an exercise machine and more specifically it relates to an exercise machine support system for providing increased versatility including inclination or declination of an exercise surface, a reduction in the overall length and width of the exercise machine, and an enhanced user interface which reduces the risk of injury.
Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
Contemporary exercise machines such as Pilates apparatuses are well known throughout the fitness industry, and have remained true to Joseph Pilates's century-old design, that is the apparatuses are generally comprised of a rectangular frame supported by legs at the four corners. Apparatuses with an especially large length to width ratio may require additional support legs along the length. Some apparatuses have a perimeter frame rather than legs, with the entire lower surface of the frame in contact with the floor. In both overall design and function, Pilates apparatuses have remained of similar design to the original Pilates hospital beds with springs.
More specifically, Pilates apparatuses are well known to be comprised of a rectangular, horizontal base structure with parallel rails aligned with the major length axis of the rectangular structure, and a slidable carriage thereupon that is attached to one end of the structure by springs or elastic bands that produce a resistance bias. The resistance springs are located between and parallel to the parallel rails.
Moving the slidable carriage along the rails in a direction opposite the end of the apparatus to which the spring resistance is attached creates a workload against which therapeutic or fitness exercises can be safely and beneficially performed.
One major deficiency related to the design of currently available apparatuses is that the rails, slidable carriage and bias members are located within the generally rectangular perimeter structure, requiring exercisers to step over the perimeter structure in order to mount the apparatus. Logically, the exerciser must also step over the perimeter structure and on to the floor below when dismounting the apparatus following exercise. Stepping over a perimeter structure to mount or dismount the apparatus is unnatural and awkward, and increases the chances that an exerciser will trip, fall, and become injured during mounting or dismounting the apparatus.
Another major deficiency of currently available exercise machines is that the overall length and width of the perimeter structure must be sufficiently large enough to accommodate the installation of the parallel rails, spring biasing means and slidable carriage within the major dimensions of the perimeter structure. The resulting Pilates apparatus and structure therefore becomes physically large and cumbersome. When a large number of apparatuses are installed in a Pilates studio of a fixed floor size, a smaller number of large Pilates apparatuses can be installed compared to smaller sized apparatuses. Therefore, reducing the total number of Pilates apparatuses that can be installed within a studio of a given size directly correlates to reduced revenue opportunity when compared to installing more apparatuses of a smaller overall dimension.
Another major deficiency of currently available Pilates apparatuses is that the slidable carriage and rails upon which it sides is traditionally fixed in the horizontal position. Raising or lowering one end of the apparatus has the beneficial effect of increasing or decreasing the intensity of an exercise routine by adding or subtracting a portion of the exerciser's body weight to the spring resistance. Traditional Pilates apparatuses are unable to tilt along the longitudinal axis, and are therefore unable to use the exerciser's body weight to increase or decrease exercise intensity.
Still another deficiency of Pilates apparatuses is that the bias members are located within the inner dimension of the parallel sliding rails, necessitating that the rails must be of sufficient distance to accommodate a plurality of resistance springs, thereby significantly increasing the overall width of the apparatus. It is nearly impossible for the average sized person to comfortably straddle a Pilates apparatus. Mounting a Pilates apparatus from the side, rather than from one end, is more difficult and increases the risk of injury.
It must be noted that although very few Pilates apparatuses provide for inclination of one end of the apparatus, there have been no apparatuses discovered that provide for declining one end of the apparatus, nor have apparatuses been discovered that provide for inclining and declining the major longitudinal axis relative to the horizontal plane.
Those skilled in the art will immediately appreciate the need for an improved exercise machine with smaller perimeter dimensions, yet retaining substantially the length and width of the rails, slidable carriage and bias members, thereby allowing for the installation of an increased number of exercise machines within a fixed studio floor area.
It will also be appreciated that a new and novel exercise machine that eliminates or substantially reduces the need for exercisers to continually step over the perimeter structure while mounting and dismounting the exercise machine will lead to fewer injuries, and correspondingly the studio's reduced economic or legal liability exposure.
It will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that an exercise machine that provides for inclining and declining the exercise machine relative to the traditional horizontal plane will also provide for an increased number of beneficial exercises that can be performed on the exercise machine that cannot be performed on the prior art.
Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved exercise machine support system for providing increased versatility including inclination or declination of an exercise surface, a reduction in the overall length and width of the exercise machine, and an enhanced user interface which reduces the risk of injury.